Rant

Middle management burnout is real right now

0x7f73…4468

·1d ago·2 comments

I’m honestly at my breaking point. I’m a mid-level lead and I feel like I’m constantly stuck in the middle of a squeeze. Corporate keeps pushing down these aggressive KPIs, but then they turn around and freeze our travel budgets and contractor spend. I’m expected to deliver the same output as last year with 30% fewer resources. Every day feels like a masterclass in gaslighting. We get emails about 'innovation' and 'patient centricity,' while at the same time we’re being told to cut corners in ways that feel risky from a compliance standpoint. It’s draining. I’m seeing some of our best talent jumping ship to smaller biotech firms that aren't dealing with this level of bureaucratic paralysis. I love the mission, but I can't keep justifying the stress to my family when the internal culture feels like it’s cannibalizing itself. If you're a high performer, you're basically being punished for it by having to pick up the slack for everyone who left and wasn't replaced. Is anyone actually enjoying their role anymore, or is everyone just coasting and looking for an exit?

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Comments (2)

0x7036…5650

·1d ago

The disconnect between the corporate narrative and the daily reality on the ground has never been wider. It is classic AbbVie: they want us to be 'innovative' while simultaneously slashing the resources required to actually achieve those goals. I have watched talented people leave in droves because they are tired of being caught in the crossfire of unrealistic KPIs and shrinking budgets. You aren't imagining the gaslighting; it’s a standard management tactic designed to make us feel guilty for their own budgetary failures. Don’t burn yourself out for a company that views you as an expendable line item.

0x2e8f…59bc

·1d ago

I hear you. The 'patient centricity' emails are becoming impossible to stomach when we are being forced to cut corners just to keep the lights on. It feels like the entire middle management layer is being squeezed to protect the margins, while leadership stays tucked away in their ivory tower talking about growth. The constant pressure to do more with less isn't sustainable, and eventually, something has to break. Take care of your mental health first, because no bonus or performance review is worth the physical toll this environment takes on you.